Who is the genuine outsider?

Democratic attorney general candidates address issue of professional politicians

JIMMY VIELKIND Capitol burea, Times Union

By JIMMY VIELKIND Capitol bureau

Published 12:00 am, Thursday, September 2, 2010

Democratic rivals for state attorney general at Wednesday?s debate at WAMC?s Linda Norris Auditorium in Albany include Assemblyman Richard Brodsky, left, retired trial attorney Sean Coffey, ex-State Insurance Supt. Eric Dinallo and Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice. Coffey and Rice questioned the qualifications and suitability of each other for the statewide office. (John Carl D?Annibale/Times Union)

Democratic rivals for state attorney general at Wednesday?s debate...

Democratic candidate for state attorney general, former State Insurance Supt. Eric Dinallo appears during a debate at the WAMC's Linda Norris Auditorium in Albany . (John Carl D'Annibale / Times Union)

Democratic candidate for state attorney general, former State...

Retired trial lawyer and former federal prosecutor Sean Coffey raises issues about suitability and who is a political insider during the debate. (John Carl D'Annibale / Times Union)

Retired trial lawyer and former federal prosecutor Sean Coffey...

Assemblyman Richard Brodsky, a Democratic candidate for state attorney general, speaks Wednesday during a WAMC radio debate in Albany. (John Carl D'Annibale / Times Union)

Assemblyman Richard Brodsky, a Democratic candidate for state...

Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice is leading the polls for the attorney general nomination in the Democratic primary. (John Carl D'Annibale / Times Union)

Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice is leading the polls...

Democratic candidate for NYS Attorney General, Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice following a debate at the WAMC Studios in Albany Wednesday September 1, 2010. (John Carl D'Annibale / Times Union)

The retired trial lawyer and one-time federal prosecutor knows how to craft an attack argument -- something he must have perfected after years in the courtroom -- and as Coffey attempts to distinguish himself from the other four Democrats vying for their party's nomination to be attorney general, he hasn't shied from it.

"I think it's time to start showing the contrasts, and to call people out when they say, 'I'm an outsider I'm not a politician,' I mean, who's kidding who?" Coffey said after a live broadcast debate sponsored by WAMC at the Linda Norris Auditorium on Central Avenue.

During the hour-long session -- attended by four of the five candidates -- Coffey accused Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice of making decisions that "align her with Albany insiders" like Assemblyman Vito Lopez, chairman of the Brooklyn Democratic Committee, who endorsed Rice earlier in the campaign.

"This is her third race in five years so when she says she's not a politician, I laugh and smile," Coffey said.

What question was Coffey answering? One asking whether he would ever run for higher office. (He wouldn't, and all of the candidates said as much except Rice, who said she had "no interest, desire or plans" to run for governor.)

But Rice, a prosecutor who is leading in statewide polls, shot back at Coffey, describing him as a "prolific self-funder" who has invested over $3 million of his own money in the race. She also attacked the political contributions Coffey has made over the years, which in some instances went to state officials who steered public legal work to Coffey and his former firm.

Continuing the back-and-forth, Coffey later cited some contributions to Democrats in the U.S. Senate as one of his "proudest" political actions. He also mentioned money he sent to the Ohio Democratic Party which he said funded billboards attacking Sen. John McCain in 2008. (His opponents note his former firm later was selected to represent Ohio against Bank of America in a lawsuit that could yield millions in fees.)

The candidates also attacked Sen. Eric Schneiderman, who backed out of the debate citing a "scheduling conflict." Schneiderman's campaign has gained momentum in recent weeks, since he was endorsed by The New York Times and appeared at a rally with prominent African-American officials including the Rev. Al Sharpton.

Throughout the campaign, Schneiderman has hoped to position himself as the most progressive candidate in the field, and is betting that the unions and endorsements from people of color he has assembled will carry him to victory. Making the calculation that it is working, most believe, he opted not to subject himself to the shots of other candidates. Rice has also skipped some of the many debates held in the race.

Both Rice and Coffey obliged anyway, even in absentia. Rice attacked Schneiderman for letting a bill stall to criminalize Internet "luring" of children by sexual predators, saying "I particularly wish he were here to answer this question. She released a television advertisement Wednesday focusing on the same theme.

Schneiderman's campaign said he voted to make luring a felony in 2008, and said the bill Rice mentioned would "actually require more proof than currently required to convict." Rice's campaign said language specific to the Internet is needed.

The other two candidates -- Assemblyman Richard Brodsky and Eric Dinallo, the former Insurance Department superintendent -- stayed largely out of the fray. Dinallo has argued that he can provide "instant on-the-job competence" because he worked in the attorney general's office under Eliot Spitzer. Brodsky is portraying himself as a proven reformer who will bring to bear the power of the office on transforming institutions in much the same way he has in the Assembly.

"Not my speed," Dinallo said of the attacks. "Not my cup of tea."

James Freedland, a spokesman for Schneiderman, called the attacks "desperate."

"Days after Eric Schneiderman lands the coveted endorsements of four editorial pages, the good government group Citizen Union, and several prominent elected officials including Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, his trailing opponents suddenly lob 15 different desperate attacks at him," he said. "You do the math."